1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dispensers, specifically air freshener dispensers. The invention has particular application to dispensers utilizing replaceable cartridges of the dispensed material.
2.Description of the Prior Art
There are many types of air freshener dispensers, including passive dispensers which simply provide apertures in a housing for exposing a supply of air freshening agent in the housing to the ambient air, and active dispensers which utilize some type of blower for positively dispensing the freshening agent into the ambient air. The latter type is commonly used in commercial applications. One type of active dispenser, disclosed, for example, in copending U.S. application Serial No. 445,273, has a replaceable cartridge which contains a supply of the air freshening agent and a battery-powered blower for dispensing the agent. A problem with such dispensers is that users seldom think to change the cartridges. It is not uncommon for a dispenser to remain empty for months before anyone puts in a new cartridge. In the meantime, the supply of air freshening agent will become exhausted and/or the battery will become discharged so that it can no longer power the blower.
In such prior active dispensers there is typically interconnection means on the replaceable cartridge and the support therefor which cooperate when the cartridge is mounted on the support for establishing an electrical circuit between the blower and the battery. Once the cartridge is mounted in place, however, the blower runs all the time, including night time and during weekends, holidays and other times when the premises may not be in use. This needlessly shortens the lifetime of both the battery and the supply of air freshening agent.